Lifestyle Food Starbucks Will Convert to Strawless Lids for Iced Beverages Nationwide By the End of the Month The strawless lids will now be the standard for all iced coffee, tea, espresso, and Starbucks Refreshers beverages from the coffee chain By Nicholas Rice Nicholas Rice Instagram Twitter Nicholas Rice is an Associate Editor for PEOPLE Magazine. He began working with the brand as an Editorial Intern in early 2020, before later transitioning to a freelance role, and then staff positions soon after. Nicholas writes and edits anywhere between 7 to 9 stories per day on average for PEOPLE, spanning across each vertical the brand covers. Nicholas has previous work experience with Billboard, POPSUGAR, Bustle and Elite Daily. When not working, Nicholas can be found playing with his 5 dogs, listening to pop music or eating mozzarella sticks. People Editorial Guidelines Published on September 10, 2020 12:18 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Starbucks Starbucks is going strawless. After announcing in July 2018 that they would begin phasing out plastic straws from their stores by 2020, the coffee chain is making good on that promise and will officially use strawless lids for select drinks in their stores across the U.S. and Canada. "Recyclable, strawless lids for customers across the U.S. and Canada is another step in our journey to reduce our environmental footprint," Michael Kobori, chief sustainability officer at Starbucks, said in a news release. "As we move closer toward our 2030 target of a 50 percent reduction in waste sent to landfills, the long-standing history of innovation within Starbucks, partnership across the industry and changing consumer behavior remain fundamental to our purpose and our prosperity as an organization." But the straw-free version of the Starbucks cup won't be taking effect for all drinks, as blended beverages — including Frappuccinos and other drinks with whipped cream — will still come with a circular lid and straw included. If plastic straws are prohibited by local law, straws with alternative materials will then be used instead. The straw-free lids are expected to be fully adopted in company-operated and licensed Starbucks locations by the end of the month. Why Starbucks And Other Companies Are Ditching Plastic Straws To Help Save the Environment Starbucks The strawless lids will now be the standard for all iced coffee, tea, espresso, and Starbucks Refreshers beverages, and they were modeled after the classic lid that customers will recognize from Starbucks hot drinks, according to the release. The new lid has approximately nine percent less plastic than the original flat lid and straw that were previously used, and they are made from polypropylene — a plastic that can be recycled in many markets in the U.S. and Canada. RELATED VIDEO: Adam Rippon Shares the Last Time He Got Starbucks and Starstruck! "We developed and trialed several prototypes to arrive at this milestone," said Andy Corlett, director of global packaging solutions and innovations, whose team at Starbucks helped design the lid. "A recyclable, strawless lid becoming the standard for iced drinks is one small way we can give more than we take from the planet," he added. "This is a significant moment for Starbucks as we work to reduce waste and safeguard the environment."